Ribbon cutter



July 6, 1937. H, PLAT T 2,086,238

RIBBON CUTTER Filed Sept. 7, 1934' 2 Sheejzs-Sheet 1 July 6, 193 7.

H. PLATT RIBBON CUTTER Filed Sept. 7, 1934 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I I IH I I I l I I I I I l I Il INVENTOR HfiTbGY'C FLa-zt f Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicEz- 2,086,238 RIBBON CUTTER Herbert Plait, Cumberland,Md., assignorto Celanese Corporation of America, a. corporation of Delaware Application September 7, 1934, Serial No. 743,053

8 Claims.

narrow widths such as ribbons and forming a false selvedge bysealing the edges of the-ribbons against fraying. Othergobjects of the invention,

will appear from the following detailed descriptlon.

In the drawings like numerals refer to the same or similar elements on the various-figures.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a cutting device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view partially in section of a heated cutting element for use in a .device as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 of the heating element and cutter. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a piece of fabric passing the cutting elements and shows the separation of the fabric at the rear of the cutting elements. v

The'cuttingof fabric into a plurality of ribbons, heretofore, has not met with great. commercial success in that no satisfactory means could be found to prevent the cut edges fromfraying. With the advent of fabrics of organic derivatives of cellulose, however, it was found that the cut edges could be sealed against fraying by fusing the ends of the yarns together. It was also found that the cutting and sealing of the edges could be done simultaneously by cutting such a fabric with a hot knife. However, the cutting of a plurality of ribbons from a sheet of fabric presents many serious difficulties.

In cutting ribbons from a fabric, especially if the knives are relatively close together, the rib- .bons are. fused along the frayed edge. such that upon contact with another fused edge or even the fabric of another ribbon or another part of the same ribbon a welding action takes place, tacking the material together in an unusable condition. This is accentuated when the heated ,cutting knives are closely spaced, say to 2 inches effects more or less the entire width of the ribbon. By my invention, however, this rejoining of the cut fabric is prevented and also any injurious effect of radiated heat on the uncut part of the fabric isreduced to a minimum. The fabric is two spaced supports.

as the heat necessarily radiated from the knivescut unsupported by metallic or other solid surfaces and the .cut edges are held separated from each other and also from the device until they have cooled to below a tacky temperature.-

By employing my invention, ribbons of very 5 narrow widths, say less than inch, as well aswide widths may be cut from fabric containing a thermoplastic derivative of cellulose such as fabric woven, knitted or otherwise formed from yarns at least some of which contain. organic 10 derivatives of cellulose such as the organic esters of, cellulose and cellulose'ethers. Examples of organic esters of cellulose are cellulose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose propionate and cellulose butyrate, while-examples of cellulose ethers 15 are ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and .benzyl cellulose.

According to my invention, then, I cut fabrics, at least some of the yarns of which contain filaments of thermoplasticderivatives of cellulose 20 intoribbons or other shapes with a heated cutting element such that the cut filaments of thermoplastic derivatives of cellulose are fused and prevented from fraying and maintaining the fused portion'isolated from other parts of the 2 fabric until the thermoplastic material has cooled to a. point of non-tackiness. The cooling maybe hastened by drawing the heat from the material by means of a heat absorbing element andthus the time required for maintaining the cut edges- 30 isolated is materially shortened. The tacky fusededges are also isolated from any solid elements of the device. This may be accomplished by' cutting the fabric at a point suspended between a 35 This invention although described in detail in reference to the formation of ribbons is also applicable to dividing, parting, trimming or perforating fabrics. The fabric may be formed entirely of filaments containing organicderivatives 40 of cellulose or it may be formed such that other filaments and/or fibres are present. Thus alternate warp, weft or both warp'and weft yarns may contain a thermoplastic derivative of cellulose and the other alternate'yarns may be cotton, regenerated or reconstituted cellulose, silk, flax or the like. Further, only the weft yarns need contain thermoplastic derivatives of cellulose. Also the individual yarns may contain a mixture 50 of a thermoplastic derivative, of cellulose filaments and filaments or fibres of other materials. Obviously any combination orarrangement of fibres and filaments may be employed with the degree of sealing or forming of a false selvedge at the cutbeing proportional to the amount of thermoplastic filaments there present.

The filaments containing thermoplastic derivatives of cellulose and/or other artificial or nat- ,ural fibres and filaments may contain effect materials for addingcolor, stifiness, pliability, hand, and other effects and agents to regulate the melting point of the material. For example, the yarns or filaments may contain dyes, lakes, fire retardants, sizes, filler, lubricants, pigments and/or plasticizers. Although any suitable plasticizer may be employed there are some that can be selected for their melting point and also the point at which they become solvents for the organic derivatives of cellulose such that when incorporated with thefabric they lower the temperature of fusion and thus therequired temperature of the cutting elements. Such plasticizers are, for

a made wholly of threads or yarns of cellulose acetate or other cellulose ester or ether) with or without a treatment of plasticizer, may be divided or parted into any number of widths, strips, ribbons or pieces by drawing or passing the fabric in contact with one or more knives, blades or other like cutting elements heated to the required temperature, whereby the cellulose ester or ether yarns are melted along the line or lines of contact with the knife orknives, blade, or blades -or the like and by means of, the shape of the cutting element or an attachment immediately behind the cutting element or the arrangement of the drawing device the melted edge or edges are heldisolated until solidified; the heated surface or surfaces seals the edges by melting the threads, at the same time cementing them together. This constitutes a simple form of binding the edges of the pieces preventing fraying and, by reason of the slight bead'formed, making more strong its resistance to tearing.

Alternatively the heated cutting element or elements may be drawn across. the stationary or' moving fabric. The dividing or parting may be performed in any direction of the fabric, for instance, longitudinally or transversely, or both longitudinally and transversely.

If a number of suitably disposed knives are employed, a number of bands, strips or ribbons may be severed simultaneously. The bindin formed by the fusion of the filaments or threads during the dividing or parting of" the fabricsmay -replace selvedges in the resulting bands, strips,

ribbons or pieces of fabric. The sealing of the edges by the heat as referred to in the case of ribbons and the like constitutes a marked advantageover ribbons, etc., with glued edges, in that no deterioration of the ribbon, etc., takes place when the edge sealed by heat gets wet.

As another example of the application of the invention, it may be applied to the production of I woven labels, tabs or the like by severing them from a suitable fabric. For example, a fabric may be woven from threads of cellulose acetate (or other cellulose ester or ether) with a number' of repeats of the label or tab across thewidth (for instance 20 repeats), the lettering or design of the label or tab being formed from similar or dis- Fig. 1 which shows an thereto.

similar threads to that of the fabric, orv a label may be printed on the fabric. With or without first treating the fabric with a plasticizer, the labels may then be severed entirely or in'strips of repeating labels, by lines longitudinally and/or transversely, from the fabric with a heated knife or knives, blade or blades or the like while retaining the freshly cut edges isolated until cooled.

Obviously many otherapplications of the invention may-be made by modifying the cutting device and arrangement of cutter, heating and cooling units.

In the drawings there-is disclosed one form of a device for \carrying out this invention, that is also a part of my invention. This device is constructed for thecutting of ribbons or strips of narrow width longitudinally from a fabric.

In the drawings with particular reference to end view of a device I is a frame having mounted thereon brackets 2 and 3 supporting track rails 4 and 5 respectively.

Mounted for movement on the track rails is a carriage 6 supported on the rails by wheels 'I and l 3. On upwardly extending arms 9 of the carriage 6 are holders ill for supporting the ends of a shaft H about which may be wound a length of fabric l2. By movement of thecarriage 6 the feed of the fabric may be adjusted relative to the remaining part of the device.

Suitably mounted on the frame I is a bracket l3 supporting a motor H or other source of power preferably having a variable speed. From the source 'of power abelt I5 drives a pulley. l6 mounted on ashaft l1 suitably journaled in themain frame I by means of bearings l8. 'On the shaft I1 is a clutch mechanism l9 that may consist of two pulleys one .positive to the shaft and'the A shaft 2-l pivoted in the main frame i in bearings 22, has fastened thereto a clutch shifting member 23 that moves belt 20 or other clutch mechanism to govern the position of belt 20. The shaft 2] may be rotated from either side of the device by-means of handles 24 and 25 fastened The belt 20 drives a pulley 26 fastened to a shaft 21 that has mounted thereon a friction drum 28. The friction drum may be solid or hollow and formed of any suitable material. It is preferably covered with cork or other composition for insuring a positive drive of a-roll 29 of ribbons 4 out from the fabric l2. The roll 23 may consist of a shaft 30 carrying a roll 3| about which the ribbons are wrapped. The roll is guided and held in contact with the friction drum 28 by means of guides 32 operating on the ends of the shaft 3|! .and contained in an arm 33 pivotally connected to a carriage 34. h r

A carriage 34 adapted for sliding movement in a substantially vertical direction in uprights 3B of the main frame I has mounted thereon two shafts 31 and 38. Each shaft 31 and 38 carries guide roll 39 and 40 respectively. Also mounted .in'the carriage 34 is a tensioning device 4| for maintaining an even and regulatable tension on the fabric. By means of a lever 42 pivoted on shaft 43 that carries a cam or other suitable member this carriage 34 may be vertically adjusted and held in position relative to the main frame 36 that has stationarily mounted thereon a heating and cutting device 44. The carriage 34 also carries two supporting ,bars.45,,and 48. Bar 45 may be of any polished surface while bar insteadof a cool air pocket.

The heated cutting or dividing element may be fastened to the uprights 36 of the main frame by a cross-piece or plurality of brackets '44. The cutting'element preferably comprises an electric coil or resistance rod 4I'contained in a metallic conductor tube 48 that has connected thereto a flattened surface or otherwise a blade holder 49. The blade holder 48 may consist of two spaced bars 50 and Ill or a slotted bar that is held in heat transfer relation to the heated conductor tube as by means of screws 52 and 53. Fastened to or otherwise suitably held in contact withthe conductor tube are thermocouples or other suitable temperature measuring devices 54.

Blades 55 may be suitably spaced in the blade holder 49 and positively fastened thereto by means of set screws 56. Thus, blade holder rods with blades set at any desired spacing may be readily attached toa conductor tube. The heating element, conductor-tube and blade supporting bars should preferably be massive enough to maintain a comparatively large reserve of heat so that the temperature of the blades is not lowered upon-their contact with the fabric. The metals or metal alloys employed should preferably be good conductors of heat, such as copper, steel, tungsten, etc. o

The conductor tube 48 may be supported somewhat centrally of a larger tube 5'! having a sector thereof removedas at 58 through which the cutting blades 55 are adapted to project. The conductor tube 48 is held properly positioned in the larger tube 51 by means of spaced positioning screws 59 operating in threaded taps in the larger tube. The space between the conductor tube 48 and the larger tube 51 may be filled with a heat insulating material 60, such as asbestos fibre, that is supported in blade-holder covering.

position by means of a wire mesh or screen 6!.

The larger or outer tube 51 may be'suitably fastened to the main frame through bar or brackets 44 by attaching same toan' angle bar 62 by means of bolts 83 suitably spaced along its length. The angle bar 62 preferably has positioned therein holes 64 that register with and permit the adjustment ofpositioning screws 59.

Either the outer tube 51, the conductor tube 48 or the heating element 41 may be made in sections or all may be made in registering sec- I tions or staggering sections such that the joint of one does not fall in line with the joint of an-. other. The heating element 41 may be formed with push plug prongs 65 for connecting to a source of electricity or into each other. In place of an electrical resistance. coil or rod, other heating means may be employed. However," the fine degree of heat control and compactness of electrical heating elements make them most desirable.

The blader55 preferably consists of a square shank 66 adapted for heat exchange contact with blade holder 48 and conductor tube 48 and of heat.

the blade is comparatively wide, thus forming a blade that in cross-section is triangular. The

' rear of the blade preferably is shorter than the on the holder l0 and the fabric threaded through the tensioning device 4| and 'over' guide roller 39, supporting bar 45, cooling element 46, guide roller 48, about friction roller 28 and onto spool or take-up package 29. The fabric is thus stretched, uncontacted by the blades, across the line of engagement with the blades.' This is done while the carriage 34 is in a lowered position and the fabric is out of contact with the heated blades. the take-up package and the carriage 34 raised until the fabric is forced onto the blades which project down into the space betweensupporting bar 45 and cooling element 46. The short back of the blade prevents cooling of theblade' by proximity to the cooling element. The cooling of the blade may be further prevented by filling the blade receiving pocket with asbestos. The fabric being pulled against the heated blades, that may be heated'to a temperature of from 260 C. to 1200 C. or more, depending onthe speed of cutting and the thermoplastic properties of the material, is cut. and the cut ends of 'the thermoplastic filaments are fused by contact with the blades forming a false selvedge at the edges of the cut. The triangular shape of the blades holds the cut and fused edges of the fabric separated until they are cooled below tions are very good. The blades are preferably The fabric'is then pulled ontomaintained at a high temperature and. the fabric speed kept sufficiently high to prevent scorching to obtain the best edge and the cleanest bead. If sufilcient speed is employed the blades may be maintained at temperatures far above the scorching temperature of the fabric. I The material of the blades may be copper,

copper alloy, steel, other suitable metal alloys or ceramic material according to the strength desired in the cutting edge at the temperature employed.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description and drawings are .merely given by way of illustration and many alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. Process for the production of ribbons from woven, knitted or other fabric containing yarns of a thermoplastic derivative of cellulose, which comprises severing the fabric with a cutting element, maintained at a temperature above the scorching temperature of-the thermoplastic de- .7

rivative of cellulose, by arelative movement between the fabric and the cutting element at a speed which prevents scorching of the fabric and positively cooling the cut edges of the fabric before allowing the same to contact with. any portion of the fabric.

2. Process for the production of ribbons from woven,-knitted or other fabric containing yarns of cellulose. acetate, which comprises severing the fabric with a cutting element, maintained at a temperature above the scorching temperature of the cellulose acetate, by a relative movement between the fabric and the cutting element at a speed which prevents scorching of the fabric and positively cooling the cut edges of the fabric before allowing the same to contact with any portion of the fabric.

3. Process for the production of ribbons from of cellulose acetate, which comprises severing the fabric with a cutting element maintained at a temperature above the fusion temperature of the cellulose acetate and positively coolingthe cut edges of the fabric before allowing the same to contact with any portion of the fabric.

5. In a device for severing thermoplastic sheet material, the combination with means forfeeding a length ofsheet material, of a cutting element and means for heating the same, the construction and arrangement of thecutting element being such that the back thereof is of substantial width so that the cut edges. of the material are kept apart for a substantial distance behind the cutting edgeof the cutting element.-

6. In a device for: severing thermoplastic sheet material, the combination with means for'feeding a length of sheet material, of a cutting element and means formatting the same, said cutting element being triangular in cross-section and having a 'back portion of substantial width,-

which back portion is adapted to keep apart the cut edges of the material for a substantial distance behind the cutting edge of the. cutting element.

' '7; In a device for severing thermoplastic sheet material, the combination with a heated cutting element and means for feeding a length of sheet material relative to the heated cutting element,

' of means for cooling the cut material at a point immediately behind the cutting edge of the cut? ting element.

8. A device for severing, thermoplastic sheet material comprising a cutting element, means for heating the same, and means for feeding a length of sheet material to the cutting element, said feeding means including a guide member adjacent to but out of contact with the cutting element and adapted to cool the cut material. HERBERT H.411.- 

